Field of the Technology
The present disclosure relates generally to mobile communication devices operative for communications via wireless communication networks, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for enabling a mobile communication device with a digital certificate for communications.
Description of the Related Art
A mobile communication device may be adapted to communicate with a host server of a communication network. Such communications may be facilitated over a wireless link with a cellular telecommunications network, or over a wired connection with a computer connected in the communication network, as examples. The communication network may be a private network of an enterprise, such as a company. The host server of the communication network may provide one or more communication services for the mobile device. For example, the host server may be adapted to provide a data synchronization service for synchronizing user data items of an application program associated with a user account of the mobile device. The application program may be or include, for example, an electronic mail (e-mail) application program for the communication of e-mail messages.
Wireless access to the communication network may be further provided via a wireless network, such as a wireless local area network (WLAN) operative in accordance with IEEE 802.11 standards. One communication service provided in a communication network having a WLAN may be a voice telephony service, such as a voice telephony service based on Voice over IP (VoIP) communications.
Access to the communication network via the WLAN may be restricted to authorized users, for example, employees of the enterprise. In some cases, password authentication in itself is insufficient and certificate use is preferred or required. Some security protocols, such as those utilizing an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), require digital certificates from mobile devices for authentication. Thus, the mobile device may need to have a digital certificate that is trusted by an authentication server for opening or allowing the connection to the network.
What are needed are more efficient methods and apparatus for use in enabling a mobile communication device with a digital certificate.